We use money every day, taking it for granted in our daily lives. At the same time, money is one of the most important business areas for any central bank. But what exactly is money? What forms does it take, and what are the characteristics that turn something into money? We answer these and other questions in the following animation film.

Note: Croatia joined the euro area on 1 January 2023 as well as Bulgaria on 1 January 2026. Therefore, the euro area currently comprises 21 countries.